SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s men’s and women’s programs lead the Southern Conference all-sport races after the completion of the fall championship seasons.

The Commissioner’s and Germann cups are awarded annually to the Southern Conference schools fielding the league’s best all-around men’s and women’s sports programs, respectively. Scoring is conducted on a percentage basis, with only the top seven sports for each school counting toward its season total. The SoCon sponsors 22 total sports with this year’s addition of women’s lacrosse, with the league’s three co-ed rifle teams counting toward the Commissioner’s Cup standings and the two women’s rifle teams counting toward the Germann Cup.

Each sport is worth 10 points, with each spot in the standings given equal measure relative to how many schools sponsor that particular sport. For sports that determine a regular-season champion, a two-point bonus is awarded for winning the league tournament. Each school’s total for the year is divided by 70, the maximum number of points possible when counting seven sports, to find its percentage.

Furman’s men, seeking their first Commissioner’s Cup title since winning their only one in 1990-91, lead the standings after a stellar fall. The Paladins won their fifth straight men’s cross country title, tied for second in the football standings and finished third in the men’s soccer standings to accumulate 25 points and a .357 percentage.

Two-time defending Commissioner’s Cup champion ETSU is nipping at Furman’s heels with 21.22 points and a .303 percentage after the fall. The Bucs won their second straight men’s soccer regular-season title and were runners-up to the Paladins in cross country.

Samford, despite not fielding one of the SoCon’s three fall men’s sports (soccer) is tied for third with 16.33 points and a .233 percentage on the strength of a third-place finish in cross country and tying for second in football.

Wofford also has a .233 percentage, largely on the strength of its football title.

Two-time defending Germann Cup winner Furman leads the 2017-18 race after an incredible fall that saw the Paladins’ women’s teams win or share all three titles. After winning its fifth straight cross country title, Furman shared the women’s soccer regular-season crown and won the volleyball regular season outright. The Paladins totaled 29.5 points, good for a .421 percentage.

Samford is second with 24.06 points and a .344 percentage. The Bulldogs shared the women’s soccer regular-season title with Furman and finished second to the Paladins in cross country.

UNCG is right behind Samford in third, picking up 10 points in soccer with a third-place regular-season finish before winning the SoCon tournament. The Spartans finished third in volleyball, as well, and sit at .333 after the fall.

ETSU is fourth at .313 after finishing second in the volleyball regular-season and winning the tournament. The Bucs finished third in cross country.

Chattanooga (.227) is fifth, followed by Western Carolina (.206), Wofford (.202), Mercer (.132), VMI (.121) and The Citadel (.044).

The Commissioner’s Cup was inaugurated in 1970 and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named for former SoCon Commissioner Ken Germann, who served as commissioner of the Southern Conference from 1974-86 and spearheaded the effort to introduce women’s athletics to the league.

Six schools have won the Commissioner’s Cup in the 48-year history of the award, including current members ETSU (2016-17, 2015-16 and 1982-83) Chattanooga (2014-15 and 2004-05) and Furman (1990-91).

Five schools have won the Germann Cup in its 31-year history. Among current schools, Furman owns a league-best 15, including 12 straight from 1992-2004. Samford has won two (2014-15 and 2009-10) and Chattanooga won in 2007-08.